The Greatest Estate Developer - Chapter 43: A Solution to the Food Shortage (2)

The Marez Swamp was considered wasteland.

It was riddled with sticky marshes, and the dense mud was teeming with unknown creatures.

Building or farming on it was out of the question.

It was utterly useless land.

An unproductive, neglected area.

For generations, the Marez Swamp had been treated as if it didn’t even exist.

To the north of the swamp lay the Frontera Estate, and to its south, the Lacona Viscounty.

Both territories ignored the swamp equally.

They deemed it impossible to develop.

But now, that perception was about to change.

Thinking this, Lloyd raised his head and turned around.

“Are you alright?” he asked cautiously.

“Of course,” the Baron of Frontera replied with a nod.

Lloyd quickly scanned him from head to toe.

The baron was wearing knee-high boots, their leather heavily oiled for near-perfect waterproofing.

Unfortunately, the boots weren’t performing their job today.

“You don’t look alright. It seems like water and mud have already seeped into your boots,” Lloyd observed.

The swamp was much deeper than knee height.

Each step sank the baron up to his thighs.

By now, his boots were completely waterlogged, and his pants were drenched beyond salvation.

But the baron was surprisingly resilient.

“This much is fine. I expected as much,” he declared.

“Really?” Lloyd raised a skeptical eyebrow. It didn’t seem that way at all.

He couldn’t help but recall the events from two hours earlier.

♣

Two hours ago.

Lloyd had visited the baron’s office and presented his plan to develop the Marez Swamp in the southern part of the estate.

The reasons and objectives were clear: to increase the estate’s agricultural productivity.

“We need to feed the Orc miners. Besides, expanding arable land is always a good thing for the estate.”

Food production.

Agriculture was the backbone of all industries.

Even in the most advanced societies, securing a food supply was the first step to sustaining other endeavors.

The same principle applied to the estate.

“The Orc miners are just the beginning. The population will eventually grow. If the estate’s food production can’t keep up, we’ll be in trouble.”

The growing number of mouths had to be matched by increased productivity.

But the estate had no other suitable land for farming.

The only potential site was the Marez Swamp in the south.

Thus, draining the swamp and reclaiming the land became a necessity.

This required the baron’s approval.

To secure it, Lloyd laid out his plan in detail.

He had also prepared arguments to persuade the baron if he faced opposition.

But to Lloyd’s surprise, the baron’s response was entirely unexpected.

“So, you’re planning to survey the swamp’s terrain, is that it?”

“Uh, yes. That’s correct.”

“Good. Then I’ll join you.”

“…Pardon?”

“We won’t bring any servants. Just the two of us. I’ll need to change into more appropriate attire first. Wait here.”

From that moment on, things took an unusual turn.

Without waiting for Lloyd’s reply, the baron began changing into comfortable clothes and waterproof boots.

He even strapped a portable sword to his waist.

To top it off, he instructed a maid to prepare a packed lunch.

“Uh, excuse me. This isn’t a picnic.”

“I know.”

“Then why the lunch…?”

“Well, won’t it be a problem if we get hungry in the swamp?”

“Uh, I suppose…”

“Am I wrong?”

“…No, not exactly.”

Lloyd found himself unable to argue.

He wasn’t wrong, but this certainly felt like the baron was treating it as a pleasant outing.

‘And he seems quite enthusiastic about it, too.’

Lloyd couldn’t understand it.

They were heading into a damp, marshy swamp for a survey and measurements.

Yet the baron seemed as excited as if he were going on a delightful picnic.

‘What could possibly be so enjoyable about this?’

Even as they left the estate together, crossed the fields toward the south, and finally reached the swamp where they waded through the sticky mud, Lloyd couldn’t fathom the baron’s cheerful demeanor.

Even now, it baffled him.

“Phew, phew!”

The baron was panting heavily.

Every step he took in the swamp turned into a comical struggle.

The reason was simple—he was holding the lunch basket high above his head to keep it from getting wet.

Finally, Lloyd spoke up, unable to bear watching any longer.

“Um, shall I carry the lunch basket for you?”

“No, I’m fine.”

“But holding it up like that must be tiring, and it’ll make keeping your balance even harder.”

“It’s not hard at all. You just focus on your task.”

“Well, it’s not like carrying the basket would interfere with my work here.”

It was true.

Lloyd had been using his surveying skill from earlier.

But surveying didn’t require constant focus.

‘The data is stored automatically.’

He could review and analyze it back at the estate later.

For now, helping with the lunch basket would hardly be a distraction.

But the baron was insistent.

“I’m the one who volunteered to come along. I can’t let you bear any burden on my behalf.”

“Well, if you’re sure…”

“I truly am fine. Just keep your eyes ahead.”

“In that case, shall we rest for a bit over there?”

Lloyd pointed to a slightly elevated area in the middle of the swamp—a small mound of dry land.

It wasn’t more than a few meters across, but it looked perfect for a brief break.

“Follow me carefully. Don’t trip.”

“Don’t worry about me. Phew, phew!”

Lloyd led the baron to the mound.

Once they reached it, they found a broad, flat rock.

Lloyd sat on the rock to catch his breath.

Meanwhile, the baron opened the lunch basket.

Inside was a wooden bento box wrapped in pristine white cloth.

“I’ve been curious—what’s inside that you’ve been so protective of?” Lloyd asked.

“What else? The most delicious food in the world,” the baron replied with a warm smile as he opened the box.

Inside were…

“Boiled eggs and tomatoes.”

“Pardon?”

“I even added plenty of honey to the tomatoes. Here, take a fork.”

“…”

Lloyd was a little taken aback.

The baron was a noble, after all.

He had expected something more extravagant.

But the baron’s smile grew even more affectionate.

“You look surprised. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? But these were your favorite foods as a child.”

“…”

“I still remember it vividly. You used to refuse all sorts of rich, luxurious meals, insisting that boiled eggs and honey-coated tomatoes were the best. You have no idea how exasperating that was.”

“…”

“Sometimes, I regret not giving you as many eggs and tomatoes as you wanted back then…”

“…”

What was Lloyd supposed to say to that?

Holding the fork in his hand, he could only purse his lips in silence.

At some point, he had even stopped using his surveying skill.

He simply stared blankly at the empty fork in his hand.

The baron smiled warmly and handed Lloyd a peeled boiled egg.

“Here, there’s salt if you need it. And make sure to drink water so it doesn’t get stuck in your throat.”

“…….”
“Why so quiet all of a sudden? Does this father of yours make you uncomfortable?”

“Oh, um, no, it’s not that.”

“Ah, I see. No need to explain. I understand.”

The baron’s gaze carried an indistinct trace of regret.

But it lasted only a moment before he broke into hearty laughter.

“Haha, at this rate, we’ll lose our appetite. Let’s eat up.”

“…Yes, sir.”

After that, both the baron and Lloyd fell silent again.

Sitting on an unremarkable rock in the gray swamp, they ate the plain boiled eggs and tomatoes.

As they ate, the baron reflected on his past regrets—his disappointment when his son’s actions didn’t meet his expectations and the many times he treated him as if he were a blemish on the family.

He wanted to apologize for his behavior.

But expressing those emotions aloud proved to be far more difficult than he expected.

Instead, he silently handed Lloyd a water bottle.

Lloyd took it without a word and drank.

In return, he passed the baron the salt for the eggs.

Neither said a word.

On the way back to the estate, Lloyd carried the lunch basket.

This time, the baron didn’t refuse his offer.

The lighter basket made their steps a bit easier.

Thus ended Lloyd’s first day surveying the swamp.

♣

In the following days, Lloyd dedicated himself to surveying.

The Marez Swamp turned out to be much larger than anticipated.

Covering the area using his surveying skill was far from a one- or two-day job.

“Thankfully, the surveying skill is at an intermediate level now.”

He could now measure an area of roughly 40 meters by 40 meters—1,600 square meters—at a time.

By repeatedly using the skill to its maximum, he managed to survey a considerable portion of the swamp.

After about 20 days, Lloyd had mapped most of the area for the first phase of the reclamation project.

He had gathered comprehensive topographical data within the designated range.

Of course, that didn’t mean everything was straightforward.

“Designing the layout is an entirely different challenge.”

Lloyd frowned as he examined the swamp’s topographical data.

“As expected, there are too many variables.”

The swamp was a lowland area bordered by tributaries of two rivers.

Every time the rivers flooded, water pooled in the swamp, unable to drain away, creating the marshland over time.

“Stagnant water is always a problem, whether it’s in land or in games.”

Adjusting stagnant water properly saves both the land and the game.

Recalling this universal truth, Lloyd began devising a method for the reclamation project.

“I already have a plan in mind. Using vertical drainage techniques, combined with some assistance from a fantastical creature, I can accelerate the consolidation process. But I’ll need to position the levees and drainage channels perfectly on the first try.”

The vast size of the area presented countless variables.

There was no guarantee the water would drain as planned.

“If I just rush into construction without a clear design, it’ll end in disaster.”

If the levees and channels he painstakingly built didn’t work properly, it would be a colossal waste of manpower and money.

Lloyd wanted to avoid such a debacle at all costs.

“Hmm. If only I could run a simulation.”

If he could input the swamp’s topographical data into a supercomputer and simulate the project, it would make things infinitely easier.

But in this world, such dreams were purely fantastical.

At that moment…

“Hmm….”

In the corner of his bedroom, Javier shifted restlessly in his armchair.

Was he having a nightmare?

His elegant eyebrows furrowed.

It seemed he might wake up at any moment.

Lloyd turned to the silver-haired knight and began reciting a magical “incantation.”

“Drainage techniques include components for collecting and directing rainfall and river water infiltrating levees during floods, as well as filters to prevent clogs in the drainage pipes. The thickness of the drainpipe should be… yada yada… at least 0.5m more than the levee’s foundation… blah blah… ensuring hydraulic gradients don’t exceed 0.3 in front of the drainage pipe…”

“Zzz…”

Javier fell back asleep.

Lloyd chuckled.

In the midst of reciting from his old textbooks to lull Javier back to sleep, a new idea struck him.

“Reciting that levee construction part was worth it. The solution was in the textbook all along. Let’s give it a try.”

He left his bedroom and headed to the estate’s backyard.

Under the moonlight, he grabbed a shovel.

Digging into the backyard’s soil, he piled it up, carefully shaping it.

He brought water, mixed it with mud and straw, and even collected small stones.

Sweat gleamed under the moonlight as Lloyd toiled away.

By the time morning arrived, his creation was complete.

It was a scaled-down model of the Marez Swamp, approximately 4 meters by 4 meters.

“Phew. I hope this works.”

Exhausted yet satisfied, Lloyd smiled at his work.

It was a faithful miniature representation of the swamp, thanks to the topographical data from his surveying skill.

The elevations, slopes, water accumulation, and flow patterns were all replicated.

It was a crude but precise analog simulation.

“Let’s get started.”

Lloyd rolled up his sleeves and pant legs, preparing for his “rice planting” attire.

Using his design skill, he constructed miniature levees on the model.

He drilled holes and dug small channels for drainage.

Then, he tested the water flow.

It wasn’t easy.

As the summer sun beat down relentlessly, Lloyd sweated profusely under the scorching rays.

The estate’s staff began gathering, their curiosity piqued.

“What’s Lloyd doing now?”

“Has he discovered the joys of playing in the mud?”

“No, he’s definitely up to something.”

At least they weren’t mocking him like before. That was some progress.

Despite their watchful eyes, Lloyd pressed on with his analog simulation.

Each time he failed, he adjusted the model and tried again.

The drainage wasn’t satisfactory at first.

But Lloyd refused to give up.

“I wouldn’t have started if I were the type to quit halfway!”

With every failure, he burned with determination, shouting, “Again!”

He restored the terrain, added more water, and reshaped the levees and channels repeatedly.

How many attempts did he make?

As afternoon turned to evening and the sunset cast its glow, Lloyd finally succeeded.

“Got it!”

Amidst his exhaustion and sweat, he clenched his fist in triumph.

The water flowed correctly, draining smoothly and maintaining its state.

The effort he’d poured into the day finally paid off.

Just then, an unexpected message appeared before his eyes.

**Ding Dong.**

[You have overcome limitations with wisdom and determination in adverse conditions.]

[This special experience has significantly influenced your .]

[A new skill option has been unlocked.]